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12/1/2006 6:45:02 AM EDT
I have been having problems with case ruptures in my AR.  The rupture is a few millimeters in length a few millimeters down from the top of the cartridge, where the case necks down.  My AR is a DPMS gun that I have built up.  I put the lower together myself, but I ordered the upper/barrel assembly straight from DPMS already assembled.  Out of a test firing of 60 rounds, it did this 3 times with Winchester .223 Rem 55 gr. and once with Sellier and Bellot .223 55 gr.  My rifle is chambered in 5.56mm.  I initially thought that it was a headspace issue so I contacted DPMS and sent the upper back in to them.  They say that the headspace is correct and they ran 50 rounds of federal/American Eagle 55 gr. through the gun without a problem.  They said that the failed casings that I sent them were out of spec, but I have never had problems with winchester or S&B ammo before.  Has anyone seen anything like this?  Is this an ammo problem or is there something else that could be wrong with the gun?
12/1/2006 7:57:43 AM EDT
[#1]
If you have a Stoney Point case guage, measure a set of loaded cases, then fire these cases, and measure again. Growth of more than 0.003 at the sholder is indicative of either a headspace issue or that the cases were originally made too short on the sholder.
12/1/2006 8:36:02 AM EDT
[#2]
I had the same problem with a batch of Winchester .223 Rem 55 gr., I wish I could remember the Lot#.  AR spec's checked out and haven't reoccurred using other manufactures ammo, also no problem with Winchester Q3131.
12/1/2006 10:31:43 AM EDT
[#3]
Headspace and chamber cross wall dimensions are not the same, but if DPMS did check the chamber, just caulk the problem up to brass that is too brittle, and cracking all by it’s self unless this is happening with brass all the way across the board (no matter what brass/ammo is being used).

P.S. Welcome to the site!!!
12/1/2006 8:17:29 PM EDT
[#4]
what dano said.I had a batch of factory remington 44 magnum that split open like a ripe melon on firing...
12/6/2006 1:33:30 PM EDT
[#5]
I just want to say thanks for the comments, they were all helpful.  I got my upper back from DPMS today.  I think that I am going to go and get some different brands of ammo to test out this weekend and see what happens.
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